


A Matter of Trust, Epilouge Pt2

by Dressari



Series: Distant Worlds [20]
Category: Creators Keepers of Mana, Dan and Mab's Furry Adventures, Furry (Fandom)
Genre: CKoM, DMFA - Freeform, Elements, Furrae, Mana - Freeform, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 04:05:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11592585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dressari/pseuds/Dressari
Summary: The story comes to a close. Destania and Adrian touch on their ordeal at the tower and contemplate where their friendship... and more importantly, trust stands. Is it intact or is it treated with suspicion as before?Even though the pic isn't quite related to the story anymore, it was one of my personal favorites and I wanted to include it with the story anyway just for prosperity.





	A Matter of Trust, Epilouge Pt2

[The start of something new.](https://inkbunny.net/submissionview.php?id=1401134&page=2#pictop)

 

A quill pen scratched and scraped at the surface of a paper document; its motions were rough and sharp, its user was busy at work but also aggravated that the day had been reduced to filing details. Again. For the second day in a row, it was almost as if Biggs was trying to find subtle ways to punish her. It was making it tempting to throw his large oak desk through his window if Destania didn't know any better that it would just create more work.

Frankly it wasn't even the paper work that had annoyed her the most, it was what she discovered when returning back to the Twinks that caused her infuriated mood.

 

_“I thought he trusted me!” she bellowed in his face._

_“He does trust you, I trusted him when he asked to play up the act!” defended the ferret._

_“He slashed out both of my legs!”_

_“But he had no intention of killing you.”_

_“And carving his sword into my legs was a good alternative!?”_

_“Geez Dee! It wasn't like Adrian wanted to do that, you didn't leave him much choice!”_

_“You could have let me in on the idea, Biggs!”_

_“That was a little hard to do without letting the Baron catch on as well.”_

_“So I was just some kind of bait for you then!?”_

 

They argued for a while, probably the loudest and longest they had in done so in years. Sure their relationship was sometimes rocky, strained, but they did well together in bringing their plan to the point it was at now. Yet it was enlightening to know that even for a brief moment, that Biggs could trust someone else more than her. It almost made her proud that the ferret was more insidious and cunning than she was led to believe.

More so that again, for perhaps the fifth time, that Adrian... Destania suddenly clenched her hand into a fist over the quill, snapping it in two with ease. Some of the ink spurted onto the paper, ruining the document. Throwing the quill to the side, she spanned out her fingers, stretching them briefly. They still twinged a little, a reminder they had once been broken. Even her legs felt an occasional uncomfortable spasm where the slices of Adrian's sword had cut into her skin, for something he didn't want to do, the Creator certainly had no qualms about causing it so casually.

Sighing, she rested against the table with an arm, on the other hand she was mildly impressed at how deceptive and ruthless Adrian himself had turned out to be. Far from the naive and hopelessly good natured image he held initially, it was almost kind of scary now to think he was capable of such things. Maybe it was her own fault for not taking advantage of the depths of his mind enough, she would've known it was a possibility.

The whole event still irritated her to think that once again both he AND Biggs this time pulled the wool over her eyes so well. Standing from her seat with a grunt she was no longer interested in this awful paperwork and felt a walk was needed; to hell with Biggs if he got upset, her mind was melting just looking at all the lines now. Maybe some wine would help quell her mood, maybe lunch for a change.

Barging her way out of the office door, Destania's eyes were met with a strange sight that gave her immediate pause in her thoughts and step. A small bundle of yellow flowers were presented to her covered in a white and green trimmed paper cover.

Darting her view up to the owner of the hand, it belonged to only one individual she knew, “Adrian...” she said in a startled greeting.

“Hi Dee,” greeted Adrian.

Destania stared, his smiling face brought a mixture of emotions boiling to the surface. Without realising it her hand accepted the flowers with a slow clench. Yellow again, what was it he said, 'Yellow roses are often used as a sign of friendship...'.

Friends?

With a sharp snap, Destania's fist suddenly met Adrian's cheek as she punched him with all of her strength. The collision of both surfaces making a loud smack as the man recoiled with only a turn of his head, but a wince of his eye. She struck a second time once he recovered from the first, this time he let out a grunt and a stronger wince.

“I accept.” stated Destania letting her hand fall limp. “Consider that a very forgiving response to the injuries you caused me.” she said taking the bundle of flowers in both hands and running her fingers over the undersides of the petals.

“...Ouch?” groaned Adrian rubbing the sore cheek. “And I was waiting for it to.”

“Smart man.”

“I guess saying sorry won't help much either.”

“No.”

“Can't say I blame you.”

“Humph...” grunted Destania and stepped her way past Adrian, walking into the corridor a short distance before stopping again. She plucked one of the flowers from the bouquet and held it flat, a blue glow surrounded the fragile thing before a thin layer of ice encased over it. “I should be infuriated with you, Adrian, I find for all of your words of trust that you claimed to give me. You did not trust me enough to work against your father with you.” she said, the flower lifted from her palm under another spell before it dematerialised and was sent to a pocket dimension that she used for storage. “Yet I find it ironic too, how the tables turned in where I had finally trusted you, you seemed to lose trust in me.”

“I never lost trust in you Dee,” corrected Adrian fumbling his fingers together.

“So it seems,” she smirked looking back to him over her shoulder briefly, “You had the opportunity to kill me, as I did you when you left yourself open like that,” Destania then chuckled, “Strange... for me, normally I would have taken the opportunity without even a pause.”

“Why didn't you then?” asked Adrian returning her smirk with a light smile, following the Cubi in her walk as she set off down the corridor.

“Your eyes gave you away.” she replied.

“Ah, those things, always my one telltale weakness,” said Adrian winking at her.

They walked for a short distance before stopping at a cross-section, Destania plucked at one of the flowers carefully before turning to him with a more serious look about her. “Adrian, I wonder about something, what prompted you to spare that insufferable adventurer?” she asked him. The question was more out of curiosity, sure she could glean the answer herself, but if there was going to be this whole mutual trust between them, she wanted to hear the answer from his own lips, truthfully.

Adrian swung his arms back and forth, quickly remembering again that Destania could read his mind, and the extent of it now. “Oh yeah, you have access to my WHOLE mind, not just my thoughts that's right. Must be nice to dance through my memories like that.” he said, poking a little sarcasm at the Cubi.

“That detail was a surprise to us both, I assure you.”

“It's past, besides if helping you to trust me means poking through my mind a little, go for it.”

“...And even then I cannot seem to understand why you do.”

“Maybe why should be less of a concern then, hmm?”

“Are you going to answer my question in that case?”

 

_The sounds of the pistol echoed off the walls with a dull wobble, a scream of pain let out into the air as Adrian turned and fired his weapon at the only other two individuals in the room. Then moving with the speed of a lightning bolt he shot himself towards Callis as she clutched the burn on her weapon arm. As Relina fell to her knees out of the way, he clasped his hand over the wolf Being's muzzle, lifted her from the floor and slammed her into the ground._

_Stone cracked lightly as Callis let out a muffled wail from under his grip, stunned lightly by the impact. Her eyes shot wide open, looking up to Adrian's harsh glare as he pressed the gun into the side of her face. Frozen in fear, the wolf apparently was not expecting to be shot, grabbed and slammed in less than a few seconds time._

_“Listen to me, Callis, I'm not a grudge holding sociopath like my father is currently.” he said rather calmly despite feeling immense anger after touching the orb. Making a muffled question under his grip, Callis tried to loosen his hand but to no avail. “Yes he's my father, I realise that now, but his Aura is different and I wish I knew why. But let me ask you, do you have ANY idea what is in this orb?”_

_Callis shook her head timidly, he wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or she was just answering no out of fear all of a sudden. Sliding his hand down to her throat, he allowed her to speak her answer instead._

_“He said it was souls...” coughed Callis._

_“AURAS, that might not mean much to you but to me it means far more than he can comprehend.”_

_“A-Auras?”_

_“What drives you Callis? Why would you follow a man like my father?” he asked, her dragging her along the floor and planting her against a nearby pillar. “WHY would a Being desire so much destruction of this worlds Nature?”_

_“Destroy nature? I... No! I mean- the Cubi they're not even natural things! Gak!”_

_Adrian tightened his grip if only for a second, “They're no less natural than you and I are! The only thing that separates us is the Hollows! And I already know you've touched that sphere, I can sense it! What are you really after!?”_

_Callis struggled against the wall even so much as trying to push Adrian with her feet, “I... ngh, my family they were murdered by a Cubi. You have no idea what it's like!” she grunted under the pressure before letting out a gasp as his grip loosened._

_“And so you let my father spin your desire for revenge into some noble cause, typical.” scoffed Adrian. He tossed Callis to the side, causing her to crash and skid across the ground. He kicked her sword towards her and then stepped on the blade while pressing his own against the side of her cheek. “Take a look at Relina, Callis, she's just a school girl injured and afraid. You lost your family to a Cubi, but killing more of them won't change or bring them back, where does revenge stop and healing start?”_

_“The Baron said he could help...”_

_“And he twisted your plea into a weapon, one that was going to do more damage than you thought.” Adrian drew the sword away and knelt down to the fallen Adventurer. “Is killing Relina, a girl who was minding her own business, a girl who was just trying to learn how to control her powers to help others with their problems, worth that on your conscience? You don't even know her.”_

_Callis said nothing but looked down to the ground, panting as she still caught her breath._

_“I suggest you take some time to think, Miss Callis.” he told her, standing up and removing his foot from the sword and sliding it towards her. He wasn't about to leave her completely defenceless. “I'm about to go and attempt to kill my father with my daughter's soul trapped inside of him, think about how I'll have to live with that. You still have a choice.”_

 

A fancy tall glass was filled with a deep red liquid rapidly as it poured from the wine bottle, filling up to just a fraction before the top. The bottle neck was then tipped over to a second, filling the glass container up to match the first. Destania placed the bottle down with a tak, then took one of the glasses in hand and used a tendril to offer the second to Adrian. The bundle of flowers she was given rested in a small vase nearby now.

“You were too lenient, for all you know she may be plotting her revenge now.” said the Cubi taking a sip from her favourite wine, a highlight for her day of boredom and to soothe her negative emotions. “Better to have killed her and be done with the loose end.”

“Well that's where you and I differ then, I gave her a second chance.” said Adrian debating the wisdom of ending a life so callously. He was raised to protect life, not take it at every opportunity. He watched Destania waltz to a nearby sofa chair and take a seat in its comfortable folds, Adrian followed with a slow walk but remained standing.

“No matter then,” said Destania with a light coo leaning into the arm, she smiled devilishly as some thoughts crossed her mind in that case. “A simple call will see to it that she will not have the chance.”

“What do you mean, Dee?”

“I still owe that brat for humiliating me, she will learn not to cross me again.”

“...Are you thinking of putting a HIT out on her?”

“It will be but a small repayment for her 'accommodations'”

Adrian glared, “No.”

“No? Adrian I believe you forgot the part she also threatened a school girl and tried to destroy Mana.”

“And I am telling you, no.”

“I am merely trying to do you a favour.”

“Then please, Destania, if it is a favour for me, let the matter drop give, her a chance.”

Destania let out a long sigh, “Very well, but you will sooner or later learn Furrae is not a place where forgiveness should be given so easily.” she said touching the glass to her lips while keeping her gaze fixated on the man.

Already half of Adrian's glass was consumed. He too kept a stare on the disguised Cubi, looking into her eyes all he could see was a cold, pain riddled stare. “What happened Dee, what caused that heart of yours to turn into something so scorned?” he asked.

Finishing the rest of her first glass she set it carefully to the side on a small table, then looking towards Adrian a slow smile started to form along her lips. “Perhaps, I shall tell you in time. But it is not a topic I would like to discuss as of now.” said Destania placing her hands into her lap.

“You still don't trust me after all,” hummed Adrian.

“On the contrary, I do, surprising as it is for me too.” corrected Destania with a wave of her finger at him, disappointed he jumped to that conclusion. So hard he worked for her trust and now he doesn't believe he has it, how silly she thought and chuckled. “But the tale is long, and best for another day. And besides, Adrian, you walked out from one world into this one, and almost out of it again. If you are so reckless I would see that you actually survive a while before I waste time on a long boring story.”

Adrian smirked, “Is that a challenge?”

“Yes, it is, lets see you live up to it.” she smiled coyly. Destania then stood from the seat and shaped a tendril from her back, guiding it to one corner of the room where a long object covered in a white cloth and tied with a strap was nestled. Retrieving it she brought it back to them and then handed it to Adrian.

“This belongs to you Adrian.”

He slid the fabric from the item letting it fall to the floor, revealing his sword, it had been cleaned and polished too by the looks of things. “I figured you might still have it since Fa'Lina said she could not find it after the ordeal.” He took the weapon by the hilt and the sharp edge of the blade started to pulse with a subtle internal pink glow.

“I had expected the weapon to have some kind of defences to prevent me from using it,” admitted Destania running a finger along the flat of the blade. It had been so light and accurate during the time she has used it herself, her son would be most jealous if he knew the properties a sword made of Elevas held. Adrian then reached out and pressed a hand against Destania's arm to which she provided a cock-eyed stare as he smiled strangely.

Then he held the sword out to her again by the hilt, “Here try and hold it.” he said.

Destania knew this had to be some kind of trick, but humouring him anyway she took the sword in hand with a light grip. When he let go however, 'Erk!” she yelped as the sword dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks, she held tightly onto the hilt and struggled to keep it from falling to the side. Then she was made to let go of the sword when a strong snap of static energy struck her hand causing the fingers to become numb. “Ouch! What the heck Adrian!?” she growled.

Adrian simply chuckled amusedly and reached down to pick the sword up while Destania waved her hand around trying to get the feeling back into it. Once upright he assisted her by taking the injured wrist and enveloped it in his healing powers. Her fingers twitched a little as the feeling came back and she whipped it away from his touch.

“That was not funny Adrian!” she grunted irritatedly, “What did you do, that sword was a light as a feather the last time I used it.”

Adrian nodded and held the sword up to her a second time although she was reluctant to try again, “When we Creator's create our signature weapon, it becomes imprinted on our Aura, but not by choice. But we can also impart a sort of signature onto others that grants them the ability to use it.” he explained then added on with a light shrug, “We can't do this with anything else Elevas based mind you, just our own weapon. Here take it again, its safe I promise.”

Hesitantly Destania touched the hilt first, sensing it was safe she took it again and found the blade was as she remembered it the first time she used it. Light, smooth, accurate and deadly even the pink glow that honed the blade edge remained. “So, you had already imparted that imprint onto me at some point.” she remarked waving the ballade back and forth a little.

“You and Fa'Lina, back at the tower, just in case.” confirmed Adrian with a smile, “This imprint seems to be automatic between family members as well, probably because of the similarities in Auras.” he said taking the sword back as Destania handed it back to him. “Even my mother and I were always still learning how Mana works, sometimes it just works in weird ways, others it's pretty straight forward. I don't think we'll ever figure it out entirely.”

“It is alive after all.”

“True, maybe it doesn't want to be figured out, we're just it's guardians after all.”

Destania walked away heading back to the liquor cabinets, “Then it is nothing for you to trouble yourself with, you should be more concerned with settling in at the Academy. Fa'Lina will do more than just keep you busy teaching kids as it is.” she said pouring herself another glass of wine before reaching for a different bottle to examine the contents.

“Speaking of which I guess I need to get moving.” said Adrian, placing his sword into a PSU attached to his hip. The clinks and taps of glass sounded for a little bit as Destania rummaged through one of the cabinets.

Placing a few of the smaller bottles on the table below, Destania's movements came to a sluggish slow stop. She wondered about telling Adrian about the plan she and Biggs had in store for the Dragons, pondering the wisdom of Fa'Lina's idea it was better to be truthful.

But then again, Fa'Lina had always been a bossy know it all, too nosy for her own good sometimes. Maybe she would tell Adrian in time, but for now, it was better he remained ignorant until he really saw what Furrae looked like deep down.

“Do not get yourself killed Adrian... I would hate to lose a new friend so soon.” she told him without looking back and without a smile.

“I'll try my best,” smirked Adrian, “See you around Dee, be safe yourself okay?” the Cubi provided a very light wave out to one side to acknowledge his own concern before leaving the den for the evening.

Destania waited, silently, listening to the footsteps of her Creator friend vanish into the distance. Once they were gone she stared at the wall thinking over the words she had just used. Very uncommon, unused words in her dictionary, many she had never used in such a long time. It brought her a little anger when she remembered why they were no longer used. A glass smashed apart as her hand gripped too tightly on to one of the bottles, sending the remaining contents everywhere. The glass cut her hand as her fist clenched.

' _What a damn mess...'_ she thought.

 

⁂

 

A page flicked with a delicate pass from one side to the other, slowly it was followed by a second and then a third as its reader would carefully scan only important lines. Much of the book held little interest to Relina, mostly because many of the theories and rumours contained within were laughable in this day and age of Furrae. Obscure ones that no one would ever thing twice to put any faith in, but it was the very unusual ones that interested her the most.

But even then they were few and far between. A small notepad next to her on the armchair rested open faced with many scrawled and uneven sentences. Stopping at a particular page she jabbed the end of her pencil against her chin while making a rasp sound at every poke. This hadn't been the most exciting work she had done in her time at the Academy, but then reading ancient books and passages only tended to excite researchers and history teachers. Hmm, maybe she should've asked Miss Lilliandra for assistance thinking about it now.

Oblivious to the sudden sounds of fluttering in the room, Relina's eyes drew a heavy close until a very light prick jabbed into her knee unexpectedly. Prompting her to lower the book with a flick, her eyes grew surprised at the sight of a small beautiful white bird perched on her knees. Colourful tails poked out from its rear and hung down to the ground, and green round eyes stared at her from over its yellow beak.

Clearly puzzled by its appearance Relina checked both sides of the room she studied in, only a few other students were here in the lounge but none of them appeared to have noticed the appearance of the bird either.

Fixating her gaze back on the bird it groomed the underside of one wing for a moment, Relina bumped her knees a few times hoping it would fly away so she could work. It wasn't strange to have critters of all kinds around the Academy, but she never remembered seeing this one in particular. The bird would not move and just went along with the bouncing without even a flinch. Leaning her legs to one side instead the bird simply moved and even tilted with the angle, seemingly ignoring the laws of physics calmly even as she returned her legs upright.

With a cock-eyed look Relina then poked the chest of the bird, growing a little bit tired. If she didn't know any better this was starting to feel like one of Feren's annoying pranks. Not even a squawk or a murmur sounded from the feathered critter.

Looking around again Relina called to the other students, “Hey, um, is this anyone's bird here? I'm trying to work.” she asked them. A few of them gave a negative in reply and others shrugged bewildered as she was.

“What's wrong Relina, can't pick up guys anymore you have to pick up birds instead?” said a vexing voice.

Relina narrowed her eyes irritably upon hearing this voice, one she was unfortunately familiar with, “Screw off Feren, I don't have any patience to deal with you today.” she told the deep blue and grey coloured annoyance that was often referred to as a bully. She let out an aggravated growl and flattened her headwings as the deer cubi teasingly brushed his fingers along them. “Don't touch me!” she chided.

“Awww what's wrong?” mocked Feren leaning against the back of the chair pretending to touch her headwings. “Did loosing a little blood make you lose more of your braincells too?” he laughed.

Relina provided the fanged deer a rather nasty look, trying her best to move from under his unwarranted touched, but since the strange bird still refused to move she couldn't stand up and walk away. “At least the bird would be a better lay than you anyway.”

“Harsh words little missy,” grunted Feren flapping out his deep purple bat wings briefly in a show of irritation, unamused by the girl's poor quip. “You don't know what you're missing anyway, why I bet you could do with a little shafting from all three ways to get that blood running properly again.” he smirked, “Oh but I bet since your last boyfriends left you that must be hard to find nowadays” he slipped his hands down along to her shoulders gripping them.

Relina shuddered a little disgusted by his teasing, “Feren, get off me, I am not in the mood for your arrogance and I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole to begin with.” she growled shoving off his hands to the sides.

Feeling hurt he gave up on his approach, “Fine- fine- fine, be a little lonely bitch, maybe one of your room-mates can bump hips with you instead if you're into girls. Probably all your good for now anyway,” he cackled, batting at one of the girl's headwings again.

The white bird suddenly made a craw directing it to the male Cubi in particular.

“Ha, see, the bird knows what I'm talking about,” grinned Feren then broke into a laugh before it was suddenly silenced again with a surprised yelp and garble. A solid ball of ice and snow had formed around the deer's muzzle clamping it shut and closing off his airways.

Relina blinked at the little bird whom held its wing outwards towards the Cubi.

Finally breaking off the ball Feren let out an angry growl and reached for the white bird, “Why you little prick I'll teach you to- WOOOOAAAHHH!”

With a swipe of its wing the white bird fanned it out to one side and Feren was flung in to the air and out of the lounge doorway back to the corridor. His leaving was soon followed by a loud crash and crack in the distance, enough to rock the walls and knock some of the pictures off the wall.

“Whoops, I forget waving my wings out did that.” remarked the bird finally speaking up.

Relina looked at him dumbfounded, shocked that this little critter was in fact, “Adrian...?” as it dawned on her it was the strange visitor from the other day and the one whom saved her life at the tower. She let out an exasperated laugh before letting out a sigh of relief. “Heh, oh wow, it is you... how? What are you?”

“This? I'm part phoenix, but not the kind you may have heard about, I wanted to see if you could figure out if was me and... you kinda did with a hint.” he replied with a light chuckle and smile at the crook of his beak, it was the only muscle that was capable of showing his facial motions. “I'm glad to see you are doing a lot better and without the bandage to your side.”

“Speak for yourself, the headmistress she... said you were in a terrible state after the tower.” said Relina fumbling about her hands uneasily, “Doctor Ink said it made my injury look like a graze, he wouldn't let anyone but Fa'Lina see you. And said your chances of survival were pretty low since he'd never treated a, Creator before.”

“Hm, I seem to be good at beating odds,” shrugged Adrian, flapping out his wings briefly into a more comfortable position, straightening his feathers out. “I knew I could trust you, Relina, you didn't let me down despite your injuries, and I'm so sorry I involved you.”

Leaning back onto the chair Relina tugged Adrian into a small hug letting him sit in her arms like a nest, “I'm not, after what I learned myself I was grateful you didn't... well kill me. Your daughter because of my clan... the Tal'Shal. You had every right to end it with me, the last one.”

Adrian shook his head, “Frankly, I don't believe everything what was written in those books.” he said. “Authored by a deranged man who lost his way, did terrible things and tried to harm the very thing he swore to protect. Don't take to heart what was written from the hands of someone who was insane, Relina.”

“But what if-”

A wing reached up and patted over the girl's muzzle and again Adrian shook his head at her, insisting there was no meaning behind what they had learned. “Does it matter? I trust you that you didn't know, and if you did, you had no hand in it like you said.” he smiled assuringly.

Relina sighed drearily, “...You know it had been the first thing I heard about my clan since I came to the Academy. And now it may not even be true.”

“In this case, I'd say that isn't a bad thing.” said Adrian and reached up and patted her nose a few times, “I know it must be hard being the only one left of a clan. But if it helps anyway I'm pretty alone myself right now, would having a new friend help?”

Relina beamed a mellow smile before enclosing her arms around the feathered one and embraced him in a sign of a new beginning, “Not that I don't have friends already, but I would love to have a friend that's unique like you Adrian. Thanks.” she cooed, he felt warm like a heated blanket and was almost tempted to just relax there the rest of the day with him. Sadly he started to give a little nudge, indicating he needed some space but he did so with a smile still.

“So! Fa'Lina said if I asked, you'd give me a tour of my new work place.” he said motioning a nod to one side towards the exit specifically. “Can I ride your shoulder?” he grinned playfully.

Relina let out a chuckle and lifted him to her shoulder, allowing him to perch. She stood from her seat and collected her notebook into a hand then whisked it away into a magical storage pocket. The book vaporised into thin air out of sight, “I'd love to show you around, I could use the walk and change of scenery.” she said and left the lounge moving into the corridors and passing by a still stunned and dazed Feren planted against the nearby wall. The student glanced and formed a delighted smile as she left, it felt good to see the bully finally got something he had deserved for a long time.

This was the starts of what was to be a beautiful friendship she thought.

 

 

**...END**

 


End file.
